Marxism & hegemony: blog tasks

Task 1: Mail Online review of Capital

1) Re-read the Mail Online review of Capital. Why does it suggest that Capital features a left-wing ideology?

• According to the Daily Mail review, Capital uses negative stereotyping of its white British characters (Roger and Arabella) and a diverse cast of characters to impose a left-wing ideology on its audience. 'Political correctness' was also brought up, implying that the show was not intended to tell a complex tale about London's housing crisis but rather to promote causes like multiculturalism.

2) Choose three quotes from the review that are particularly critical of Capital and paste them into your blogpost. Do you agree with the criticisms? Why?

1. With a fizzle like a firework on a wet night, Capital (BBC1) dribbled to a soggy ending. It started with such a brilliant display, but by the finish we were left staring at the proverbial damp squib.
• I have not watched the ending so I can't comment on it.
2. The last 20 minutes contained no plot. Whatever story there had ever been was over. We just watched all the characters saying goodbye to each other, including an excruciating round of farewells as Mrs Kamal kissed her sons outside the corner shop, with a banal word for all of them.
• I have not watched the ending so I can't comment on it.
3. And just when you thought it was over, the ghastly Roger and Arabella (Toby Jones and Rachael Stirling) went through the same long-drawn-out charade, bidding the rooms of their house goodbye.
• I have not watched the ending so I can't comment on it.

3) What scenes or characters from Capital could be read as promoting left-wing ideology?

• Many of Roger and Arabella's scenes promote a left-wing representation of capitalism where the upper middle class are arrogant and inconsiderate of their immense privilege. 

4) What about the other side of the argument - are there any aspects of Capital that reinforce right-wing or capitalist viewpoints?

• Although Capital's storyline and characters make clear that the film strongly supports left-wing ideologies, one could argue that some of Capital's work-related ideas—for example, the Mail Online review that the "hardest worker on the street was an illegal immigrant"—are capitalistic in nature and place a strong emphasis on hard work, a trait that only the characters are meant to be sympathetic to possess.

Task 2: Media Factsheet - Applying Marxism 

Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet #66: Applying Marxism. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level or online here (you'll need your Greenford Google login to access). Read the factsheet and answer the following questions:

1) What does Marxism suggest regarding power in society?

• Marx observed that a few social structures serve to uphold the financial power-base. This can happen primarily in two ways: ideologically or through repression. He observed social structures actively participating in this kind of control over society. Marxists came to view the media as a component of the ideological power structure, also known as the ideological state apparatus, or ISA, and asserted that the media was involved in the creation and upkeep of concepts and ideals that bolstered the capitalist system, despite the fact that Marx did not live to witness the rise of the mass media in the twentieth century. False consciousness, or the conviction that certain concepts and ideals are true when they are actually created ideologies that serve the interests of the ruling class, can be fostered by the ISA in a variety of ways.

2) Why is The Apprentice a good example of the media reinforcing capitalist values and ideologies?

• The apprentice is a good example of the media reinforcing capitalist values and ideologies as it is a show that has the goal to find the best candidate from a group of business people from all over the UK who are competing in order to become an apprentice to a more experienced businessman. It promotes capitalist values and ideologies as Alan Sugar is looking to find someone who best fits into the capitalist ideals of the western world.

3) Come up with two examples of media texts (e.g. TV programmes, newspapers etc.) that either fetishise working class life (e.g. EastEnders presents quite a harmonious East End community which probably doesn't accurately reflect East London life) or demonise working class life or poor people (e.g. The Daily Mail and The Sun newspapers regularly demonise people living on benefits with headlines referring to 'scroungers'.) Explain what meanings these texts communicate to their audiences.

• Coronation Street
• People from the working class living on a street in Weatherfield, Manchester, England go through their daily lives and deal with the hardships caused by their personal and professional lives.
• Shameless
• A group of siblings, belonging to a working-class family, try to cope with their alcoholic father while also dealing with relationships of their own.

4) Look at the bullet points on page 4 of the factsheet:

When making a Marxist reading of a text, look out for representations that:

show the values of the power elite as beneficial to the mass

show queries or challenges to the base as meaningless, foolish or anti-social via ‘failed revolt’

show the subdominant position of the masses as a naturalised idea

show the values of the power elite as ‘natural’ or ‘right’

show that being a member of the mass is a good thing

show the masses accepting the values of the power elite

show the values of the power elite as being ‘for the good of the masses’ (even when unpleasant)

Now try applying those bullet points to Capital. Think about the setting, characters and narrative strands - how many of the bullet points apply to Capital? Does Capital reinforce or challenge the values of capitalism? Give examples from episode 1 to support your points.

• Show the values of the power elite as beneficial to the mass: The failure of the bankers is what caused the housing crisis and so need to be protected in order for things to go back to normal
• Show queries or challenges to the base as meaningless, foolish or anti-social via ‘failed revolt’: Quentina cannot work legally due to asylum laws
• Show the subdominant position of the masses as a naturalised idea: The Kamal family working hard running the store and a newspaper delivery service while Roger struggles due to an 'unfair' bonus
• Show the values of the power elite as ‘natural’ or ‘right’: Rogers reference to his bonus being 'Fundamentally not fair' suggesting its his 'right' to earn a significant bonus
• Show that being a member of the mass is a good thing: The close knit Kamal family which even in the recession stays close together 
• Show the masses accepting the values of the power elite: The characters have no real choice against the crisis
• Show the values of the power elite as being ‘for the good of the masses’ (even when unpleasant): If the banking crisis did not happen most things would be alright